Mario Suarez’s leap to television with Juan Carlos Rivero: “He cooks very well, sometimes he tells me: ‘I ruined everything'” | Relief

To the former red-white footballer Mario Suarez (Madrid, 1987) He looks comfortable with a microphone in his hand, commentating on the Eurocup on RTVE from Germany. He does so by introducing Juan Carlos Rivero, for whom he has nothing but words of gratitude and admiration.”He made it easy for me, it’s a phenomenon. “I couldn’t do what he does, it’s very difficult.”he tells us. We take the opportunity to remember his years with Simeone, his relationship with him, what that Atletico was like and how he sees this Spain.

Do you feel a little melancholy watching this from the press area?

No melancholy, I’ve been retired for a year now and don’t miss it. I feel healthy envy and think that I was once there, in the national team. Footballers are the main heroes, and I feel healthy envy.

From the outside looking in, are you more aware of what you footballers are creating?

I have always been very aware that footballers have privileges beyond the sacrifices they have to make. More and more figures are appearing, now we are talking about Lamine and Nico, all of Europe loves them, it was the most watched TV program this year against Italy. It’s crazy what drives this world.

Do you have any contact with any of the national team players?

Not particularly, I’m not one of those who are too focused, I spoke with Morata, with Laporte, yes, I met with Luis de la Fuente before the Eurocup.

How is Mora?

I see him very well, Morata you will like more or less, but he was a sincere person in his statements, and when a person is sincere, we criticize him, and when he is not wet, too. We, Spaniards, are milk. He is a person who likes to feel loved and confident, and here he has the support of the coach, he is the captain, the number nine of the Spanish national team, and he feels important. Morata always responds.

Is self-doubt the most common and difficult thing for a football player?

I believe that we are privileged, but we are human and we have our problems and everyone manages emotions in one way or another. There are mentally stronger people, the main thing is to manage this in a way that is convenient for each person, with the help of psychologists or relying on others. There are those who are influenced by what is said on social networks, there are those who are not… Trust is very important in life, and very important in football.

When things were going badly for Atletico, who did you turn to?

We always said that when we faced Barcelona with Messi, Neymar, Suarez and Madrid with Cristiano, Benzema, Di Maria… We knew that we did not have a star, even if we had Diego Costa, Falcao, Villa… Our the strength was the group, the core. Individually, maybe not, but as a team we could beat anyone. Cholo was the leader and he had to follow his message. There were a lot of players with strong characters, some happier, others more stressed in their daily lives… But the group was mentally strong, and because of the way we played, either you were like that or you couldn’t be in this team.

What do you think you brought to that locker room?

I was young and a team player, that is, I did everything possible to make the dressing room work well, to get along with everyone, if Arda didn’t speak Spanish, I spoke to him in English, the same with Courtois, Oblak… I liked being available to the team. If I had to run through Arda, I would run. We were hard to beat and we knew it.

What was your relationship with Simeone and how did it develop?

This is easy to explain because we are united by a constant relationship of respect. In fact, he chose the captains, he chose me, ahead of Raul Garcia, Falcao… Then, as in all relationships, there are good and not so good moments. There have been cases where, if I had the mentality I have now, they would not have happened because of me. For example, when you don’t understand why you don’t play a game, when I came back from the best team in Spain, and then you didn’t play one or two games and got angry with the coach… Is that normal? No. At 35, I would never be angry with him, but I played in all the important games, the titles we won, except the final in Lisbon. There were things that I realized over time that I wasn’t proud of because they shouldn’t be done. After leaving Atlético we met and had dinner together, we always said everything to each other’s faces without talking after each other, and the people who look at each other are the ones I like. The version he brought out of me was incredible and it helped me as a person too.

Has it become more difficult for Atlético players to join the national team? Do you think it might have been because of the reputation of the losing team?

Atleti does not have a DNA that is losing and Pupae was left behind. It was difficult to get into the national team, Gabi could have got in, but Juanfran went to the European Cup, etc. There was Xavi, Iniesta, Cazorla, I replaced Busquets, I stopped playing due to injury, and Javi Martinez came back. It was because of the tastes of the coaches that the national team played in the style of Barça, and Atleti played completely differently, but so did Mourinho’s Madrid. I don’t think it costs more to go to the national team to play for Atletico, and in my time, the players who were relegated to the national team did not go. Now some of those who fought relegation and were even relegated have joined the national team.

Let’s talk about your new side as a commentator. What surprised you the most?

I didn’t expect it, it was a natural process. DAZN called me first, then RTVE came. You seem to like the way I do it, and I was surprised by the visibility it has with the public television audience. I speak for people who are at home eating a sandwich or getting up to do something and don’t see all their feelings on TV so they can know what’s going on.

And what costs the most?

I’m preparing this. Playing against Georgia or Northern Ireland, where you don’t have much information… You need to prepare very well for those who have seen less. Don’t step on the narrator, don’t step on the other commentator, know when to enter, don’t interfere so you don’t have to be cut, because dangerous action is coming…

Do you realize that we are more exposed in the media than we think?

On social media, people are very brave, there is a lack of respect that should not be shown. They put too much pressure on Juan Carlos (Rivero), he is a great professional, he prepares everything very well, he makes mistakes like all of us, and I have always heard how storytellers make mistakes, but he entered the game with Juan Carlos. He is a great person, thanks to him, it is very easy for me to adapt. He takes it well, but there are comments that are unpleasant and should not be made. Juan Carlos is a phenomenon that is relativized and carried over to the next game.

Did you joke about Mario calling Marchena?

Sometimes we comment: “I made a mess,” he tells me. On public television he is wearing headphones, and while they tell him: “Don’t forget to turn on the “promo” of the Grand Prix,” and the performance is happening, or he turns on this poll… They say a lot of things to the presenter, not to the commentator, but they shouted at me and I didn’t know what to do. That’s why I tell Rivero I can’t. “What was missing, what will they give me now,” he sometimes tells me. I can only say good things about him. I’m not suited to the role of a storyteller, and I don’t want to be one.

Juan Carlos takes care of himself very much, he trains, he is a great professional, I tell him that we are going for a walk, and he says no, because he wants to watch such a match, he does not eat anything on the day of the match. he likes to be in his place very quickly, to see that everything works. I arrive at the hut an hour and a half early, and he has already been standing there for two and a half hours, or even more. It’s very noticeable who cooks it and who doesn’t, it’s not about what you see.

Rivero says about you that you are a very perfectionist.

I have two children, the girl does everything faster, I tell my son that if he does everything correctly the first time, he will avoid having to do it again, pick it up… And I’m a little like that, it’s easier, it takes less time . Everything is structured in exactly the same way for me; now I’ve been preparing for Georgia for several days. I saw them in the qualifying stage, and now against Portugal and the Czech Republic. This way I don’t waste other people’s time.

Has the landscape changed much since Spain’s match with Italy? Do you see more options for Spain now?

Spain didn’t surprise me. I saw them on the ground against Brazil and Colombia and De la Fuente already started in a 4-2-3-1 formation, instead of playing with two interiors he puts Dani Olmo or Pedri as a midfielder, plus Lamine and Nico. I think if Spain do well we can beat anyone, even if we get Germany, which is a bitch, I prefer them in the final. What has changed for Spain is that they know when to have the ball and force the opposition team to run and when to stay upright and attack, especially with Nico and Lamine. The other day we played Oyarzabal and Joselu, who are not that fond of running into space. But other teams don’t have this. In Germany there is only one person who flies into space, Havertz. Since Deschamps got here, since 2012 France has been playing poorly and winning a lot, they have animals there. In England there are also many footballers who do not play in their position. Portugal has a lot of talent, Spain and Germany are the best for me.

So, what are your favorites?

Spain, Germany and France, which scares me more than Portugal.